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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · foot · cabinet · sharp · stock · branch · current · chip

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stock — goods
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. foot — a measure
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. chip — for betting
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stock — shares
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com